Batteries

[wa8yxm]

Five years is the low end of anticipated life if properly cared for. Your converter makes a big differnece here.. Many have them last 7-10 years. Some are doing good if they make ti two years.. As I said a lot has to do with the converter. How low you let them get, How often you add DISTILLED water.. Or did you add tap water. That kind of thing.

As to paralleling 12's or sixes in series.

The standard Six Volt pair is a GC-2, Roughly 220 amp hours at 12 volt When properly installed they become ONE 12 volt battery, always think of them that way, Saves questions.

Two Group 31's give about 250 amp horus, but are larger (Footprint) and not as tall

Technically, no reason not to use 12 volt DEEP CYCLE in place of the six volt Deep cycle pairs.

However, That will likely cost you more money (100 each v/s about 70 each for the six volt) and that's the biggest argument in favor of the six volt pairs.

[Redapple]

Our house batteries are going on six years old now and I check the electrolytes about every three months. In 5 1/2 years I have never needed to add distilled water. I do go through the ritual because the one time you don't check tyhem is the time they fail (Murphy's law). I did just change the chassis battery today after 5 1/2 years and I believe sulfication was the cause of death. It was swollen on the sides.

You are right to invest in a charge wizard that plugs directly into your converter. We have the PD9160 with the Charge Wizard plugged right into the converter, works great.


Good Luck,
Bill